Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2034670
The invention relates to a loading arrangement for loading
fluids into a ship at sea, comprising:
a coupling manifold on board the ship,
a loading hose with a coupling head to be connected with the
coupling manifold,
a pulllng llne connected wlth a wlnch on the vessel, and
comprlslng a loading fork with two diverging parts, which are
at a respective end connected with said coupling head on
mutually opposed sides of the coupling head,
a guide pulley on the vessel and above sald coupling manifold
for guiding the pulling line on board and towards the winch,
a bearing for the couping manifold, permitting the manifold
to be slewed about a horizontal axis towards and away from
the loading fork
a manipulatable hook means connected with the coupling
manifold for gripping cooperation with the coupling head, and-
drive means for swinging the coupling manifold and for
manipulating the hook means, so that the coupling head may be
aligned relative to and lifted towards the coupling manifold
and connected with it.
Alignment and lifting followed by coupling of said coupling
head with the coupling manifold constitute a critical phase
during connecting operations. For mooring and connection a
variety of different methods may be used. It may even be
possible to make do without a separate mooring line,
utilizing dynamic positioning relative to a loading buoy.
Irrespective of the method used, the final connection
presents problems. The ship and the loading hose will carry
out relative motions requiring very much care during the
final phase of connection.
It is, thus, an ob~ect of the invention to provide a loading
arrangement providlng a possibility of controlled final
manipulation of the coupling head of the loading hose in the
completing phase of connection.
*
2~3~S70
According to the invention a loading arrangement as mentioned
above is, thus, proposed, which loading arrangement is
characterized by the fact that the guide pulley is mounted
for controllable movement in the direction of the pulllng
line towards and from the winch, and by the fact that the
coupling manifold comprises a guide means in the form of a
curved screen with a trapezoid æhape in vertical elevation,
which is adapted to the triangular region of the loading fork
between its two parts, and which may, when the manifold is
swinging, get in contact with the loading fork and fix it in
ihe fork plane.
In this manner the coupling manifold and coupling head may be
brought closely together with an at least fairly satisfactory
alignment. The coupling head will be fixed, via the fixed
loading fork, and thus safe gripping of the coupling head by
the hook means is rendered possible for final lifting up
towards the coupling manifold for connection.
The hook means which is used during the final connection, may
advantageously comprise working cylinders, which are mounted
on the coupling manifold in a drivable manner to be slewable,
and the piston rods of which are provided with free ends
designed like loading hooks, the coupling head having
corresponding pins for the hooks to grip.
The invention will be disclosed in more detail below with
reference to the drawing, in which:
Figure 1 shows a method by the aid of which a loading
hose may be brought on board a ship and
connected with a coupling manifold,
5 Figure 2 shows another method for bringing a loading hose
on board a ship, by use of a mooring line,
20~67û
Figure 3 is a partial view of the bow area on board a
ship with an arrangement according to the
invention, during hauling in a mooring line with
a loading hose suspended from it,
Figure 4 shows the arrangement of Figure 3 in the final
phase, when the coupling head is to be connected
with the coupling manifold on board the ship,
10 Figure 5 is a sketch showing how the arrangement of
Figures 3 and 4 operates,
Figure 6 is a plan view of a coupling manifold constitut-
ing part of the arrangement according to the
invention,
Figure 7 is an elevational view of the coupling manifold
of Figure 6,
20 Figure 8 is a plan view of the coupling manifold of
Figures 6 and 7, but with a coupling head which
is positioned to be connected,
Figure 9 is an elevational view of the arrangement of
Figure 8, and
Figure 10 shows another possible hook arrangement.
In Figure 1 the bow area of a ship 1 is shown. Furthermore, a
so called loading buoy 2 is shown. A loading hose 3 extends
from the loading buoy. The loading hose has a coupling head
4. A loading line fork 5 is connected with coupling head 4 of
the loading hose and is suspended from a pulling line 6 which
passes, via a guide pulley 7, to a winch 8 on board ship 1.
In the ship's bow a coupling manifold 9 is indicated, with
which coupling head 4 is to be connected to provide a loading
2~34670
connection between loading buoy 2 and ship 1. From coupling
manifold 9 piping e~tends in a manner not shown to the
loading tanks of the æhip.
By the aid of pulling line 6, which ls hauled in by the aid
of winch 8, coupling head 4 and loading hose 3 will,
obviously, be pulled up towards coupling manifold 9, where
connection is made in a manner disclosed in more detail
below.
Figure 2 shows another method for connecting the loading
hose. Here, the same ship 1, loading buoy 2, and loading hose
3 with head 4 and loading fork 5 are shown. As opposed to
Figure 1 loading fork 5 is suspended from a pulling line 11,
which forms part of the mooring line 10 of ship 1. In the
same manner as pulling line 6 in Figure 1, pulling line 11
extends to a winch 8 on board ship 1, via guide pulley 7 in
the bow, above coupling manifold 9, which is also provided
here. By the aid of winch 8 pulling line/mooring line 9, 10
are hauled in. The loading fork 5 with coupling head 4 and
loading hose 3 are brought along, above and towards coupling
manifold 9, where connection occurs in a manner disclosed in
more detail below, which is, besides, the same manner as in
the arrangement shown in Figure 1.
In Figures 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings it is assumed that the
method indicated in Figure 2 is used. From Figures 3 - 5 ship
1, loading hose 3, lts coupling head 4, loading fork 5, winch
8, guide pulley 7, pulling line 11, mooring line 10 proper,
and coupling manifold 9 will, thus, appear.
Loading fork 5 consists of two steel ropes which meet
appro~imately at 12, where the loading fork is suspended from
pulling line 11. In a preferred practical embodiment the
arrangement comprises a mooring line comprising a so called
fore runner, a chain portion, and then the mooring line
proper. In Figures 3 and 4 the fore runner is indicated by
2U~67~
numeral 13. Approximately at 14, said fore runner 13 is
connected with a length of chain 15, which is in the area of
numeral 12 connected with mooring line 10 proper. It wlll
appear that mooring line 10 is hauled on board by the aid of
winch 8, which acts on fore runner 13 untll chaln portlon 15
has achieved the position as ~hown ln Flgure 4. The chain
portlon may now be locked ln a chaln stopper 16. Shlp 1 will
then be moored to the loading buoy.
When mooring line 10 and loading fork 5 with æuspended
coupllng head 4 and associated loading hose 3 are located in
the position as shown in Figure 4, coupling manifold 9 is
moved forwards, into contact with loading fork 5. This
slewing motion of coupling manifold occurs by the aid of the
indicated working cylinder 17. As indicated in Figure 4, a
curved screen 18 on coupling manifold 9 will provide guiding
cooperation with loading fork 5 causing the latter to be
fixed in the fork plane. Coupling head 4 will, thus, be
correspondingly fixed and will be fairly aligned relative to
the coupling member 19 of coupling manifold 9.
Slewing the coupling manifold 9 towards loading fork 5, into
the position shown in Figure 4, occurs at the same time as or
Just after guide pulley 7 is displaced rearwards from the
position as shown in Figure 7, and into a position as shown
in Figure 4. For such displacement of the guide pulley to be
rendered possible, it is rotatably and displaceably mounted
in a guide pulley bracket 20, which is provided with
elongated grooves 21, in which the shaft of guide pulley 7 is
mounted. By the aid of a working cylinder 22, guide pulley 7
may, thus, be displaced back and forth between the extreme
positions which are shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4, respect-
ively. When guide pulley 7 is pulled in an aft direction, as
shown in Figure 4, pulling line, mooring line, and loading
fork will be moved aft, i.e. in towards coupling manifold 9
and into contact with the latter, as shown in Figure 4.
20~7~
Coupling manifold 9 has a guide pulley means 23 to guide
guiding line/loading fork towards guide pulley.
The sequence of motion during coupllng operations is shown in
more detail in Figure 5.
Figures 6 and 7 show a practical and preferred embodiment of
a coupling manifold forming part of the new arrangement
according to the invention.
The manifold is built with a sturdy transversal pipe 24,
which is at both ends slewably mounted in brackets 25, 26,
which are designed to be mounted below deck forward in the
bow opening. Pipe 24 may be slewed by the aid of two working
cylinders 27, 28, the piston rods 29, 30 of which are link
coupled to brackets 31, 32, which are welded onto pipe 24.
Each of the working cylinders 27, 28 is slewably mounted 33,
34 in brackets 35, 36, which are intended to be fastened
below deck, in the same manner as working cylinder 17, which
is shown in Figures 3 and 4, and which is in the present case
replaced by two working cylinders.
Pipe 24 is provided with a coupling flange 37 for connection
with a conduit extending further into the ship. The other
tube end, at bracket 25, is closed, but may obviously, if
desired, be provided with a flange corresponding to flange
37, for connection with piping on board the ship.
In the lateral elevation of Figure 7 working cylinders 27, 28
are indicated by point-dash-line 27, 28.
From pipe 24 a pipe bend 38 branches off. Pipe bend 28 is
flange coupled 39 to a coupling box 40 the lower end of which
is designed to receive coupling head 4, as shown in Figure 4
and Figures 8 and 9. In accordance with Figure 4, the lower
portion of coupling box 40 is, thus, denoted 19.
2Q34 G70
On coupling box 40 a guide member in the shape of a curved
screen 41, corresponding to screen 18 in Figures 3 and 4, is
mounted.
On top of the screen, which ls trapezoid in the vertical
elevation of Figure 6, two guide rollers 42, 43 are placed.
On pipe 24 above said guide rollers 43, 44 three parallel
guide rollers 44, 45, 46 are provided.
Four bracket plates 47,48, 49, and 50 are welded onto pipe
24. In pairs they carry a working cylinder 51, 52, respect-
ively. Pis-ton rod 53 of working cylinder 51 is at its free
end finished with a hook 54, and piston rod 55 of working
cylinder 52 is, correspondingly, finished with a hook 56. As
shown, working cylinders are at 57, and at 58, respectively,
rotatably mounted in bracket plate pairs 47, 48, and 49, 50,
respectively. As shown in Figure 7, working cylinder 51 may
be slewed about slewing pivot 57 by the aid of a working
cylinder 59, which is rotatably mounted in bracket plates 47,
48 and the piston rod of which is at 60 pivoted in working
cylinder 51. A corresponding arrangement is provided for
working cylinder 52.
It should be mentioned here that manifold 9, which is shown
in Figures 3 and 4, and which may be designed like the
manifold of Figures 6 and 7, is also provided with a hook
arrangement corresponding to hooks 54, 56, but the hook
arrangement was left out in Figures 3 and 4 so as not to
overburden those rather small figures with too many details.
In Figures 8 and 9 the coupling manifold of Figures 6 and 7
is shown together with coupling head 4 on the loading hose.
Coupling head 4 is placed in a position as shown in Figure
4, in which position hooks 54, 56 are able to grip the
lifting head and lift it closer up to coupling surface 19 of
coupling box 40, so that a connection between coupling head
and coupling box may be completed. Connecting operations
2~)3~70
proper comprise technology known per æe and are, Ihus, not
descrlbed ln detall. As soon as the connectlon ls completed,
loadlng operations may start upon enabllng the necessary
valves.
The entlre connectlng æequence ls dlsclosed below.
The moorlng sltuatlon ls shown ln Figure 2. Shlp 1 wlll
establlsh connectlon wlth loadlng buoy 2 by recelvlng the
moorlng llne on board. The moorlng llne comprlses a fore
runner 13, a chaln portlon 15, and the moorlng llne 10
proper. Llne 13 ls pulled on board by the ald of wlnch 8,
untll chaln portion 15 is provided in a desired position in
chain stopper 16. Chain portion 15 ls locked ln chain stopper
16. Shlp 1 is now moored to loadlng buoy 2. Thls ls the
situatlon as illustrated in Figure 3. Guide pulley 7 is in
lts forward position in the ship's bow. Loading hose 3 is
attached to chain 15 by the aid of a rope fork 5. In Figure 3
coupling head 4 of the loading hose ls shown ln a sllghtly
lower position than the real one, when mooring takes place.
In reality coupling head 4 will be ln a sllghtly higher
position than the position illustrated in Figure 4. The
reason for showing a different position ln Figure 3 is ~ust
to illustrate how coupling head 4 is suspended from loading
fork 5 during the final phase of connecting operations. The
correct position is shown in Figure 5. Here, coupling head 4
is shown to be pulled up towards coupling manifold 9, while
the latter is still in its retracted position, as indicated
in dashed lines. Guide pulley 7 is in its forward position.
Hooks 54, 56 are represented by arrow 54, 56, and are run
down as far as possible to be able to grlp beneath llfting
plns 61, 62 on coupling head 4 when belng slewed forwards.
Gulde pulley 7 ls retracted to its left hand slde posltlon in
Flgure 5. Coupling head 4 is, thus, given a slightly lower
position and is at the same time moved slightly aft, i. e. in
the direction of coupling manifold 9. Coupling manifold 9 is
slewed towards the right hand side in Flgure 5, lnto the
2034670
position shown in full lines, with screen 41 e~erting a
guiding influence on the triangle formed by loading fork 5.
During the swinglng movement of coupling manifold 9 towards
the right hand side in Figure 5, hooks 54, 56 will follow
since they are suspended from coupling manifold. By the aid
of working cylinders 59, and by the aid of cylinders 51, 52,
which are associated with the hooks, hooks 54, 56 may be
finely adJusted relative to lifting pins 61, 62 and catch the
latter, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. By the aid of hooks 54,
56 coupling head 4 may then be pulled up towards coupling
surface 19 of the coupling manifold and be connected with the
coupling half of the coupling manifold.
Hooks 61 and 62, i.e. their associated cylinders 57, may in
stead be mounted to carry out swinging motion in a transvers-
al direction, as indicated by arrows in Figure 8, the working
cylinders 59 then being turned 90.
It will be understood that the function of guide pulley 7 is
important because the loading fork 5 may be guided towards
coupling manifold 9 by the aid of said pulley.
Figure 10 shows an example of a hook arrangement, the loading
hooks 68 of which are pivotally mounted on a respective
piston rod 66 associated with a working cylinder 65. Loading
hook 68 is linked 69 with piston rod 70 of a manipulator
cylinder 71, which is mounted on working cylinder 65 by the
aid of the shown arms 72, 73. By the aid of manipulator 70,
71 hooks may be slewed into an "open" position, as shown in
dashed lines.
